Chapter 218: The Weight of Goodbyes
Aurora’s POV
“Look at you,”
Annie grinned, crouching down to adjust the hem of my dress as I sat nervously in front of the mirror.
The pack’s fashion designer circled behind me, fussing over the final touches of my wedding gown.
The fabric shimmered under the light, the delicate embroidery catching like tiny stars.
My reflection barely felt real.
“My best friend, about to become Luna.”
Annie’s voice was soft but full of excitement. She shook her head in disbelief, her eyes glistening with pride.
“Honestly, Aurora, if someone had told me years ago that this would happen, I would’ve laughed in their face.”
I let out a breathless laugh, smoothing down the skirt with trembling hands.
“You and me both.”
Annie nudged me gently.
“You’ve come so far. Through all the pain, the battles, the scars… look where you are now.
About to marry your fated mate. Not just anyone, Aurora, Alessandro Prickette, the Alpha of the Shadow Pack.”
Her words settled in my chest, warm and overwhelming.
“Do you know how proud I am of you?” she continued, her smile softening.
“Of everything you’ve endured and everything you’ve become? You deserve every bit of this happiness.”
I met her eyes in the mirror, my throat tight.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done without you, Annie.”
She smirked playfully, brushing away the emotion before it made us both cry.
“Well, lucky for you, I’m not going anywhere.
Maid of honor duties, best friend duties… I’ve got it all covered.”
I chuckled softly, shaking my head.
“Honestly, It all feels like a dream, Annie. Alessandro and I… we hated each other.”
“Hated?”
Annie raised her brows with a teasing smirk.
“You two nearly set the whole pack on fire with your bickering.”
I laughed at that because it was true.
“I guess fate had a different plan.”
Her eyes softened.
“It really did.
You went from being the girl everyone doubted, the one who carried her mother’s shadows into this pack… to being the woman who not only survived but also captured the heart of the next Alpha.
That’s one hell of a story, Aurora.”
Her words warmed me. My chest felt tight with emotion.
“Sometimes I still wonder if I deserve all this happiness. But then I look at him, and I know I made the right choice.”
Annie smiled, squeezing my hand.
“You didn’t just deserve it, you fought for it. And now you’re going to walk down that aisle as Luna.
I couldn’t be prouder.”
Just then, my phone buzzed on the table. I frowned, picking it up. Leonardo’s name flashed across the screen.
Annie leaned over. “Leonardo?
What does he want?”
I pressed the phone to my ear.
“Hello?”
His voice was low, almost strained.
“Aurora… can we meet around noon at the cafe by the east market?”
I hesitated, glancing at Annie.
“Uh… sure, it’s almost noon now.”
“Yeah. I promise it won’t take long.” Leonardo said quietly.
“Alright….” I murmured, then hung up.
Annie crossed her arms immediately.
“What does he need to say that he couldn’t say in the packhouse?
This sounds suspicious.”
I shrugged, slipping into my coat.
“I don’t know. But when I see him, I’ll find out.”
****
The café was warm, filled with the smell of roasted beans and fresh pastries, but none of it reached me.
My heart beat unevenly as I spotted Leonardo at the far corner.
He wasn’t his usual self, his shoulders hunched, his fingers tapping nervously against the porcelain coffee cup.
When he noticed me, he stood abruptly, almost knocking the cup over.
“Aurora.”
“Leonardo,”
I said quietly, sliding into the chair opposite him.
“You wanted to talk?”
He exhaled heavily and sat down, running both hands through his hair like he was trying to collect himself.
For a long moment, he just stared at me, eyes conflicted.
“You look…”
His voice trailed off before he quickly corrected himself.
“You look happy. Radiant.”
I blinked. “Thank you.”
He swallowed hard, looking down at the table.
“I almost didn’t call you. I’ve been telling myself for weeks to just let it go.
To stay silent. But every time I saw you with Alessandro, every time I saw what you’ve become… the words sat like fire in my chest. I had to say something before-”
“Before what?” I asked gently.
His jaw clenched, and his voice cracked when he whispered, “Before you belong to him forever.”
My breath caught.
“Leonardo-”
He raised a hand quickly, shaking his head.
“No.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not here to ruin this for you. I swear. I just…”
He broke off again, leaning forward, his eyes burning into mine.
“Do you have any idea how many times I’ve replayed it all in my head?
The moments I could’ve chosen you?
The nights I should’ve been there for you instead of chasing shadows and power?
I… I let you slip through my fingers, Aurora. And it’s the biggest mistake of my life.”
I felt my throat tighten.
“Leonardo…”
His laugh was hollow.
“I used to think I’d have forever to make things right. That somehow, you’d always be there, waiting.
But you weren’t. You shouldn’t have been.
And Alessandro… he stepped in where I failed. He became the man I should’ve been.”
I folded my hands on the table, my voice trembling but firm.
“You hurt me, Leonardo. Over and over again. And I won’t lie, there were nights I hated you for it.
But I moved on. Alessandro showed me what real love is.”
His eyes flickered with pain, but he nodded slowly.
“I know. I can see it. The way you look at him, the way he looks at you… it’s something I can never undo.”
Silence stretched between us. Then, almost desperately, he asked,
“But tell me one thing, Aurora.
Why him?
Why Alessandro?
What makes you so sure he won’t hurt you like I did?”
I took a steadying breath.
“Because he doesn’t run from love, Leonardo.
He doesn’t treat it like a weakness. He treats it like strength.
He treats me like strength.
With him, I’m not just a burden or a reminder of my mother’s mistakes.
I’m his equal.
His partner.
His mate.
He sees me.”
Leonardo’s lips parted, like he was about to say something something deeper, something dangerous.
His hand even twitched on the table, like he wanted to reach for mine.
But then he stopped, shutting his eyes tightly as if forcing the words back down.
When he opened them again, there was resignation there.
“I still…”
He swallowed hard.
“I still care about you, Aurora.
More than I should.
More than I probably ever will stop.
But I also know this isn’t my story anymore. It’s yours and his.”
Tears pricked my eyes at his honesty.
“Leonardo…”
He gave me a small, broken smile.
“You were my chance, Aurora. And I wasted it.
The Moon Goddess gave me a gift, and I threw it away. So she gave you to Alessandro instead.
And he-”
His voice caught.
“He became who he was born to be because of you.”
A heavy silence lingered, filled only by the soft clinking of cups and distant chatter.
Finally, he stood, pushing the chair back.
“Goodbye, Aurora. Congratulations… on everything.
I truly hope your happiness lasts forever.”
I rose too, my chest aching. After a moment of hesitation, we shook hands. His grip lingered, warm, trembling, then released.
“Goodbye, Leonardo,” I whispered.
“I hope you find happiness too.”
He gave a short nod, then turned and walked away, his figure disappearing through the café doors without looking back.
I stood there for a while, my heart heavy with emotions I hadn’t expected, before I finally gathered myself and left.
****
When I returned to the packhouse, Annie was waiting in my room.
She looked up, eyes searching my face.
“Well?
What happened?” she asked.
I sank onto the bed, recounting every word. She listened quietly, her hand pressed against her mouth.
When I finished, she hesitated.
“Aurora… there’s something you don’t know.”
My chest tightened.
“What is it?”
Her eyes softened with sadness.
“Leonardo… he told Gabriel he’s leaving the pack.
After Alessandro’s wedding.”
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